A copy-editing blog covering grammar and newspapers like they're going out of style.

Saturday, March 13, 2004

Who knew Grandaddy would bring up so many issues?

While I'm thinking about it, I'll discuss another issue I considered when making the concert post. Is Grandaddy an "it" or a "them"? My brain forced me to type "them" every time. It's how I think; it's how I talk.

Then I went back and changed every reference.

A band is an "it" when it goes by Grandaddy or the Postal Service or Hot Hot Heat. It's a "they" when it goes by the Unicorns or the New Pornographers or the Microphones.

What about Guided by Voices or Pretty Girls Make Graves? I'll call those "concept names." Sure, there's more than one voice or girl or grave, but the name is more an idea than a person, place or thing.

A rule of thumb: Is there a verb in that band name? If so, double-check it.